This invention relates to a spin fishing reel having an overrideable friction brake device for preventing the bail from inadvertently being released from its casting or latched position and snapping back into its retrieve position.
In the conventional spinning reel the pivotally mounted bail is latched in its cocked or casting position against the force of a return spring by a mechanical detent mechanism, and is automatically released to return to its line retrieve position during the initial revolution of the handle driven rotor. Such release is usually implemented by a projection on a kick lever mounted on the rotor striking a fixed trip or cam tab mounted on the stationary reel body. A problem sometimes exists, however, particularly after the reel mechanism becomes thoroughly worn-in and frictionally "loose" from prolonged usage, whereby the bail is inadvertently released and snaps back into its retrieve position during casting. The effects thereof can be annoying at best, possibly resulting in line breakage and the loss of the lure or bait, and even potentially dangerous as when the abruptly halted fishook swings back and strikes the caster. Such premature bail release is caused by rotational imbalances owing to the design of the reel handle and the offset position of the cocked bail, and the attendant rotational inertia forces developed during the backswing of the fishing rod and its subsequent rapid forward casting motion. That is, such eccentric weight distribution sometimes causes the reel rotor to revolve with sufficient velocity to release the latched bail when the kick lever projection strikes the trip tab.